Tooth cleaning device



Feb. 17, 1959 B. GJERDE 2,873,749

TOOTHVELEANING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1956 7 I v 10 e INVENTOR.

BORE TOR GJERDE.

ATTO YLY ESS v 2,873,749 TOOTH CLEANING DEVICE Borgtor Gjerde, Minde,near Bergen, Norway Application March 2, 1956, Serial No. 569,037 Claimspriority, application Norway March 17, 1955 1 Claim. (Cl. 132-91) Thisinvention relates to a device for cleaning the spaces between the teethfor extracting food particles, food tissue and the like from between theteeth and more particularly to a highly efiicient and sanitaryinstrument or holder adapted to hold a flexible band or thread wherebythe latter may be inserted between the teeth.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a holder havingmeans whereby a closed loop of a flexible band or thread may be quicklysecured there-v on to provide means for cleaning the teeth and whichthread may be quickly removed if broken and unclean and replaced.

A special object of the invention is to provide a holder for a threadequipped with means whereby the tension applied to the thread may beeasily adjusted to compensate for varying lengths of loops and for theelongation of such loop during use.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovedescribed character which is simple in construction, durable in use,efiicient in operation and economical in manufacture.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, appended claims and annexed drawing.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designatelike parts, and wherein two preferred embodiments are shown:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of tooth cleaningdevice according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an axial sectional view on an enlarged scale of a part ofthe handle with associated parts.

Figure 3 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 2, illustratingadjustment of the tension applied to the thread.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing part of the handle and anassociated holding member in a modified embodiment.

The tooth cleaning device of Figures 1 and 2 has a handle 1, slightlycurved longitudinally to ensure a better grip, and bent in the oppositedirection at 2 and having a forked end with two prongs 3 and 4. At itsouter end each prong has a notch 5 for receiving a tooth cleaning thread6. This thread forms a closed loop extending from the prong ends to aholding member 7 behind an upwardly directed lug 8 integral with theholding member. The holding member 7 encloses the handle and is arrangedto be slidable' longitudinally. In the embodiment of Figures 1, 2 and 3,the holding member closely encloses the handle laterally whereas acertain play allowed in the vertical direction. The top part of theholding member 7 carries a tooth 9 facing downwardly towards the upperside of the handle. This tooth co-operates with a rack of notches 10arranged on the upper side of the handle. The tooth 9 is adapted to bereceived in a notch 10 whereby the holding member is maintained in aproper position to ensure correct tightening of the loop 6 (Figure 2).It is "ice obvious that by shifting the engagement so that the tooth 9is received in another notch of the rack, the loop may be tightened orloosened according to the requirements.

It is preferred to arrange the lug 8 and the tooth 9 on a protrudingpart 11 of the holding member 7, and to manufacture the holding memberfrom a material having a certain elasticity, so that the tooth 9 may belifted from engagement in a notch for instance by engaging a finger nailunder the protrusion 11 and lifting slightly (Figure 3).

However, it is also possible as shown in Figure 4, to allow the holdingmember 7 to have a certain play in the lateral direction of the handle,and to form the lateral dimensions of the notch rack '10 smaller thanthe total width of the handle whereby the tooth 9 may be moved in alateral direction out of engagement with a corresponding notch andthereupon moved into engagement with another notch 10.

In the present and preferred embodiments, the fork legs are shown asextending in the same direction as the handle so as to form acontinuation thereof. It is to be understood that this is only apreferred arrangement insuring easy manipulation, and that the prongsmay extend in a lateral direction from the main direction of the handle.

In the embodiments of Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the thread is shown asforming a closed loop by tying its ends together to form a knot 12.However, it is also possible to arrange securing means on the holdingmember 7 in order to secure the ends of a thread to this member and toavoid the necessity for tying the ends of the thread together. However,the latter arrangement is less preferable, because it is difficult toform such parts with smooth corners and without protruding parts, whichare objectionable to the delicate skin of the human mouth.

It may be convenient to prefabricate threads or bands for use in thepresent device in loop form ready for use, for instance by weldingtogether pieces of monofilament threads or cutting annular rings from anextruded tube. It is preferred to manufacture such threads or bands fromphysically strong polyamide threads.

Further it is preferred to manufacture the entire device from a suitableplastic material in a press moulding process. The notches 10 of the rackare preferably arranged with their engaging walls substantiallyvertical, whereby the stretch from the thread loop ensures a firmengagement between said wall and the forwardly extending tooth 9 of theholding member 7.

What I claim is:

A tooth cleaning device for use with a cleaning thread forming a closedloop, said device comprising a handle, a pair of fork arms integral withsaid handle and located at one end thereof to form a fork extendingsubstantially in the direction of said handle and constituting acontinuation thereof, each of said fork arms having a terminal endhaving formed therein a recess extending transversely to the directionof the fork arm for receiving the closed loop of the cleaning thread,whereby a portion of the closed loop constituting the active cleaningportion extends between the recesses of the two fork arms transverselyto the longitudinal direction of said handle, said handle having formedtherein notches which are integral with the handle and which extend in arow in the longitudinal direction of said handle, a sleeve enclosingsaid handle and slidable thereon, and a resilient protruding memberintegral with said sleeve and comprising an outwardly directed lug forreceiving said closed loop in a. stretched condition, said loopextending between said recesses and behind said lug, said resilientprotruding member further comprising an inwardly directed tooth facingsaid row of notches to engage one of the notches thereof, said toothbeing adapted to be disengaged from the notch by manually raising saidresilient protruding member, and to be shifted into engagement withanother notch by the resiliency of said protruding member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS SonnJuly 28, 1914 Goulet Oct. 17, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 29, 1928

